


there's an indentation in the shape of you

by acalmingcupoftea



Category: Persuasion - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2017-12-17
Packaged: 2019-02-16 02:58:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13045077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acalmingcupoftea/pseuds/acalmingcupoftea
Summary: Anne Elliot had just been matched with the only man she ever truly loved and the only man she’d ever completely emotionally crushed - Frederick Wentworth.





	there's an indentation in the shape of you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [opticalprism](https://archiveofourown.org/users/opticalprism/gifts).



> Thanks to specialrhino for the beta! <333 And thanks to N for insights about dating apps.
> 
> Title is lyrics from Taylor Swift's Dress
> 
> Mrs. Smith and Lady Russell don't actually have first names so I chose ones that should have been in Persuasion's original time period.
> 
> Happy Holidays!

_Bzzt bzzt_

Anne Elliot, editor for literature at _Entertainment Monthly_ , glanced down at her phone, tapping the black screen to wake it up. Who would be contacting her at this hour?

The notification, featuring a cute icon of a coffee cup and a bagel with a heart in between it, was for the dating app Margaret Smith, her best friend, had installed and set up for her after a bit too much wine at their weekly dinner date the previous month.

Anne sighed while touching the notification to open the app. Might as well see who modern technology thinks she should be dating. So far the Silicon Valley algorithm had been batting 100 on the matches. Each date option had gotten progressively worse - how many people can really be that into “adventure” or a “good sense of humor.” She’d sometimes hit it off with someone but she would almost always be quickly ghosted.

At first Anne was hurt by this and it just further convinced her that something was _wrong_ with her. That no one could possibly love her or want to be with her. Well, there was that one guy...but dwelling on thoughts like that never helped anyone so Anne did the next best thing - she made a spreadsheet.

As she looked at the trends of the conversations over time, she came to realize that a LOT of people on this dating site were either  
In it for a quick hook up (which didn’t make sense cause that’s what Tinder was for)  
Lacked the social skills to turn a lady down

Suffice it to say, Anne was not particularly excited to open up this notification today. And what she saw when she did almost made her drop her phone.

It was _him._

The first profile photo was a little abstract, just the profile of his face with no discernable background. She swiped to the right to see a picture of him holding a corgi above his head like the key scene from The Lion King (all Anne could think was When did he get a dog?). She swiped to the last photo and gasped.

It was him looking head on at the camera standing on what looked like a boat, hair whipped back in the breeze, a beer in hand. He was as handsome as she remembered him. Hell, even more so.

Anne hit the power button on her phone to darken the screen again, set the phone on her desk, and placed her face in her hands. That Silicon Valley algorithm must be laughing at her now.

She’d just been matched with the only man she ever truly loved and the only man she’d ever completely emotionally crushed - Frederick Wentworth.

* * * 

“What am I supposed to do?” It was the next day and Anne was talking to Margaret about her predicament.

Frederick didn’t know that they had been matched yet. The way the app worked was that both parties had to “like” each other in order to start talking. Because Anne was the woman in this matching nothing happened until she “liked” him first.

Well, she was way past “liking” him at this point but…

“Obviously you need to start talking to him Anne,” Margaret said. “This is your CHANCE AT REDEMPTION,” she all but yelled into the phone.

Anne switched her phone to her other ear to buy time. On the one hand, Margaret was totally right but on the other…

“What if...what if he doesn’t like me back?” Anne felt embarrassed even saying that out loud.

There was a brief pause on the phone before Margaret said, “I swear to god, Anne Jane Elliot.” She sighed in exasperation. “Do you REMEMBER what you were like after LAST TIME.” 

Anne grimaced at the memory that statement brought up. It was years ago at this point but it still felt like yesterday...

“If you do not LIKE FREDERICK ON THIS GOOD-FOR-SOMETHING DATING APP, I WILL COME OVER THERE AND DO IT FOR YOU. Text me once you’ve done it.” And with that, she hung up the phone.

Anne didn’t look at her phone again until lunch (a poke bowl today). She brought up Fredrick’s profile and swiped through the pictures again. He seemed so...different, yet exactly the same as she remembered him. The anger on his face as he turned away from her at the marina over five years ago.

Before she could change her mind, she hit the big heart icon at the bottom of the screen and then...it was time to wait.

* * * 

“He still hasn’t liked you back??” Margaret was outraged, which in this moment Anne appreciated more than she could articulate.

“I mean, to be fair, it’s only been two hours. Maybe he hasn’t seen it yet,” Anne replied, shifting her office phone to a more comfortable position, fingers playing with the cord.

“It’s 2017 Elliot, who DOESN’T have their phone on them at all times? How do you think I got my dog so famous on Instagram?” Margaret said.

“I mean...maybe it’s just not meant to be, you know?” Anne said. “Maybe what happened is too much for him to look past. I can’t blame him real--”

_Bzzt bzzt_

Anne glanced down at her phone to see a notification from the dating app on her screen. Her heart started beating faster as she read the notification. And then read it again. And again.

_Frederick Wentworth has liked you. Feel free to start chatting._

Anne could hear Margaret talking to her on the phone but she had completely missed wherever the conversation had ended up.

“He...he liked me back.” She said, when there was a break in the conversation. Anne quickly had to pull the phone from her ear due to all of the screaming.

* * * 

  
**8 Years, 5 Months Ago**  
  


Anne didn’t want to come to this party, but being the daughter of the CEO she didn’t really have a choice, especially when Mary came down with another one of her “colds.” Elizabeth was just so much better at this (and was, in fact, fluttering around the room like a newly discovered species of butterfly) that Anne didn’t really see the point of even being there. But her father had asked, so she put on her jade green sheath dress, slipped her feet into her three inch heels (Anne was nothing if not sensible when it came to footwear), and applied her off-red lipstick.

“Oooo lipstick - maybe you’ll catch someone tonight, Annie,” Elizabeth had cooed at her in the car on the way over, as their driver weaved through downtown traffic. Anne was surprised Elizabeth had even noticed the lipstick, as all her focus seemed to be on primping her hair in her hand mirror. Her father merely snorted in amusement behind his newspaper.

Not knowing what else to do, Anne wandered over to the food table. At least these things always had good food. The spread this time was Asian inspired - egg rolls, sushi, dumplings, some type of ramen-themed appetizer - and a soju punch. Anne poured herself a glass and turned, looking towards the party. Wondering how much longer she had to be here before she could reasonably excuse herself, Anne sighed.

And spilled her punch on her dress.

“Oh, oh, I’m so sorry!” A man’s from behind her said. His voice was a comforting baritone, like the bass line from a favorite song. He reached behind her for some napkins.

Anne looked up at him and lost the biting comment on her tongue. He had blue eyes and darker blond hair, the color of sand by the seaside. She had to admit he cleaned up well in a blue suit, the color complementing rather than contrasting with his eyes.

“Oh it’s...quite alright,” she said quietly.

“Never, never. Here,” he handed her the napkins. “I can pay for that stunning dress to be dry cleaned.”

“Oh, um, that’s alright,” Anne said. “I can take care of that myself. I’m...I’m Anne Elliot,” she waited for him to run or act surprised. After all, how could _she_ be the daughter of the CEO of Elliot Industries, one of the most prolific software firms in the country?

He didn’t miss a beat. “Well then, let me replace your drink at least. That bartender over there,” he gestured towards the back of the room, “is the best one here.” 

He held out his hand to her, “Frederick Wentworth, co-founder of Atlas. We’re a maps company, trying to make maps more usable in this digital age.”

Anne smiled at him as he kissed the hand she placed in his. “Nice to meet you, Frederick. Interesting choice of company name - not a reference to _Atlas Shrugged_ , I hope.”

Frederick smiled at that and then placed her hand on his arm as he guided her towards the bar.

“There’s actually a funny story about that…”

  


**8 Years, 3 Months Ago**  
Picnics were generally not Anne’s first meal choice but when Frederick suggests you hike to the top of a hill (read: small mountain) for a sunrise breakfast, you don’t really say no.

Especially not when he follows up with a rather suggestive kiss of what’s to come post-sunrise excursion.

So Anne was huffing and puffing up this hill at 4:30 in the morning (thankfully Frederick was carrying the picnic in his backpack).

“We’re almost there!” Frederick said, looking back towards her. His wince told Anne he could see her struggling. He hurried back down incline towards her.

“Do you need to take a break?” he asked, hand resting on her shoulder.

“No...no.” Anne said between breaths. “Just a little further right? Would rather finish...it…”

Frederick looked at her for a moment and then, slipped the backpack off his back. “Do you think you could carry this?”

Anne looked confused until Frederick turned around, offering her a piggyback ride the rest of the way. Anne smiled, slipped the backpack on her back, and then jumped onto Frederick’s. He laughed at her enthusiasm.

As the crested the top of the hill a few minutes later, Anne pressed a kiss to his temple as she slid off his back. As her arms passed over his torso, Frederick held them fast to him. Anne couldn’t remember the last time she had been this happy. 

The sun crested the hill as Anne sipped champagne, the taste of Frederick still on her lips.

  


**7 Years, 9 Months Ago**

Anne hadn’t looked forward to Christmas since she was a small child. This was one of the first times Frederick was going to formally meet her family and she was, understandably, nervous.

Frederick was in the same business as her father, so they _should_ have some common ground there. Hopefully. Mary was studying abroad this year so she wouldn’t be home - which was unfortunate as her antics could usually distract their father from a tirade if necessary. Elizabeth had someone she was seeing, but that probably wouldn’t distract her from making snide comments.

Anne slipped a simple white gold hoop earring into her ear as Frederick came up behind her, arms snaking around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder.

“You’re beautiful.”

Anne lightly slapped his arm. “I’m sure you say that to all the girls.” She reached to put in her other earring.

Frederick kissed the side of her neck, head still perched on her shoulder, looking her in the eye in the mirror.

“Marry me.”

Anne was shocked. “What? You can’t be serious.” She let out a nervous giggle.

Frederick spun her around and said, “Oh, I very much am.” He then kneeled on one knee and pulled a small velvet box from his sport coat pocket. Inside was a sapphire ring with a diamond band.

Anne, hands moving slowly towards her mouth, could only nod vigorously, her words failing her. 

Frederick smiled as he got up, placed the ring on the ring finger of her left hand, and embraced her tightly. As he kissed her, Anne couldn’t help thinking how the sense of foreboding that had been hanging over her this week was wrong - this was going to be the merriest Christmas she had ever had.

  


**7 Years, 6 Months Ago**  
It had been five days. Anne’s heart felt like it was never going to work again. Was it still even in her body? She couldn’t tell anymore. The tears hadn’t stopped either. She felt like tracks were being dug in her face from the rivers of liquid that had left her eyes recently.

She looked to her left hand, as always expecting the ring to be there, sparkling at her in the sunlight of the window, smiling at her like a friend. She couldn’t look at her bare hand for long before refocusing on the gardens outside. It threatened to bring the sobbing back.

“In the end, you’ll see this was for the best.” The voice of Alice Russell, her family’s closest friend and a mother figure for Anne since her own had passed away when she was younger, floated behind her. So focused in her grief, Anne almost didn’t hear her.

“It will take time of course, but he was only after your money, dear.”

Anne didn’t respond, she just looked at her left hand again, expecting the ring to wink back at her.

* * * 

**Present Day**

Anne was usually on her phone first thing in the mornings - checking the news, liking Margaret’s latest photo of her corgi on Instagram - but today she hesitated. What if there wasn’t a notification from the app?

Or, more pressingly, what if there was?

Well, waiting wasn’t doing her any favors so Anne turned on her phone and was greeted with several notifications, including one from the dating app. She started at the icon briefly then, taking a deep breath, she tapped it.

A chat window within the app opened up with one message displayed from the developers.

_Remember! There is one week before this chat closes. If you want to talk outside of that window make sure you exchange contact information!_

Anne stared down at her phone. Frederick’s name stared back at her judgmentally. Yeah, no - she needed to eat lunch before she could deal with this.

* * * 

**September 4, 2017 **  
Anne: Hi.  
 _12:57 PM_

Frederick: hi  
_2:23 PM_

Anne: So...it’s been awhile hasn’t it?  
_3:17 PM_

Frederick: that it has  
_3:17 PM_

Anne: How have you been?  
_4:43 PM_

Frederick: better than i was in some ways, worse in others  
_7:33 PM_

  


**September 5, 2017**  
Anne: When did you get back in town? Last I heard you were in London.  
_9:30 AM_

Frederick: i’ve been back for a few weeks. we opened a new branch of atlas in london which is why i was there for so long. getting the business up and running  
_10:04 AM_

Frederick: i ran into alice russell while i was over there  
_10:07 AM_

Anne: ...Oh  
_10:10 AM_

Frederick: she said you hadn’t talked to her in awhile  
_10:12 AM_

Anne: That’s true. It’s been a long time honestly. Probably since like 2012 or something  
_11:02 AM_

Frederick: ...interesting  
_11:02 AM_

  


**September 7, 2017**  
Frederick: why did you stop talking to her  
_7:14 AM_

Frederick: alice russell I mean  
_7:14 AM_

Anne: It...it’s complicated. I just thought a lot about our relationship - how she cared about me but she never stopped seeing me as that kid she had to look out for.  
_10:40 AM_

Anne: And I realized she had too much influence over me.  
_10:40 AM_

Anne: Especially when I thought back to what happened in 2010.  
_10:41 AM_

Anne: So I just stopped letting her in.  
_10:41 AM_

  


**September 8, 2017**

_Reminder! This chat closes permanently in 2 days._

Anne: I...I didn’t mean to hurt you  
_11:34 PM_

Frederick: what’s that even supposed to mean  
_11:36 PM_

Anne: Exactly what it says. I wanted to call you, write to you, talk to you EVERY DAY after that Frederick. But I was young. WE were young. And you were gone - you were in Australia and that was like another world away  
_11:36 PM_

Anne: And that look  
_11:37 PM_

Anne: That look on your face  
_11:37 PM_

Anne: I still can’t get it out of my mind Frederick. It’s burned there.  
_11:37 PM_

Anne: And that’s why I tried this. This why I reached out to you. Cause in the last seven years there hasn’t been a day that’s gone by where I haven’t thought of you. What I wish I could have done back then, what I wish I could do now to change it.  
_11:38 PM_

Anne: But more than that how much I miss you. How much you made me laugh and feel whole in a way I haven’t since.  
_11:50 PM_

  


**September 10, 2017**

_Reminder! This chat closes permanently today._

Frederick: text me - (xxx) xxx-xxxx  
_10:45 PM_

____

* * * 

The last leaves of autumn crunched under her boots as Anne walked down the street, intent on the phone in front of her. Her map app pinged, telling her to turn to the left and then her destination would be on the right, across the street. She tapped the app to close it absentmindedly as she waited for the crosswalk light to change, her thoughts elsewhere.

It had been over a month since Frederick had given her his number. She could remember that day very vividly. Waking up after baring her soul to him and finding nothing there but a read receipt. Anne had thought she had well and truly blew it. If that hadn’t convinced him she was serious, that she still cared about him, then nothing would.

She had been working late on a spread for the magazine when the last message had come through. Anne had almost ignored it since her deadline was looming but then she realized she needed a break and checking her phone counted as one right? The app notification wasn’t that surprising, even when you’re talking/matched with someone, you still get messages and other matches, but seeing Frederick’s name there was surprising. And when it was his number that accompanied it? She couldn’t believe it.

Anne had texted him right then and there and the texting had almost been non-stop since. It was like they were lovesick teens again. And in a way, they were. She had forgotten how _funny_ he could be, and how kind. Frederick would remember things she had told him about weeks before, ask after members of her family. 

She wondered if he still laughed the same way, too. How much had he changed, not only physically, but also emotionally, in their seven years apart? She would find out soon because they had actually decided to meet up. Margaret had practically thrown a parade for Anne when she told her they were meeting in late October. They would have met up sooner, but Frederick had been called back to London to help out with the company.

Anne held her phone close to her chest as she looked up at the bagel store. It was Frederick's idea, “inspired by the app,” he had said. She was a little early, so she went into the restaurant to try and find a seat and was greeted with Frederick, smiling and waving at her from the back of the dining area.

Even though he had sent her some selfies and other pictures from his trip to London, Anne couldn’t get over how _handsome_ he was in person. His hair was swept back away from his face and she had forgotten that when he looked at her, his blue eyes shone. He was dressed casually today - an untucked button up shirt with jeans and a light jacket, which Anne was glad for. 

She hadn’t been entirely sure how to dress for this date so she edged on the side of a more dressed up casual look - three inch black boots and tights paired with a wine colored dress. She had pulled her hair back into a bun in an attempt that, she hoped, looked casual but could also seem more high end if demanded. But jeans and a light jacket meant comfort not swank and to be totally honest, casual outfits were one of the best looks to see on Frederick. Anne’s heart beat a bit faster as she walked towards him.

“I know you like to get to places early, so I figured I’d get here even earlier to meet you,” he said as she sat down. There was a coffee in front of both of them. 

“Still like mochas, right?” Frederick asked a little nervously.

Anne smiled and could practically feel the heart eyes she was making. “Still my favorite.” She tucked a strand of hair that had fallen out of her bun behind her ear to give her hands something to do.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, sliding a menu towards her. The establishment had mostly bagels but also had some regular breakfast favorites such as french toast or omelettes. The idea of food set Anne’s stomach on edge. She was so _nervous_ that even the idea of food made her want to vomit. 

“I...I think I’m ok for right now,” she said. “Please order something if you want, though. The Yelp reviews on this place looked amazing.”

Frederick looked at her, concern flashing across his brow. “How about we split something?” He said, “I don’t really need to eat a whole bagel combo on my own.” Since it didn’t seem like she could say no, Anne nodded. 

He went up to the counter to order and Anne sent a quick text to Margaret.

Anne: SOS I’M DYING OF NERVES  
_10:03 AM_

Margaret: calm down elliot it’s just FREDERICK.  
_10:04 AM_

She did have a point - it was just Frederick. Sure, he had more money now and a bit more life experience but he was still the same guy she was - is - in love with. His core personality hadn’t changed - why was she so nervous?

Frederick quickly returned with a bagel in a togo bag. “I thought it might be better if we walked around a bit? I don’t know if you’ve noticed but this like formal date/restaurant thing is kind of making me nervous.”

Anne agreed empathically and grabbed their coffees. They headed towards a nearby park and started to walk along one of the paths that meandered through the trees.

Frederick offered her the bagel bag as he said “So...what made you do it? What made you reach out on the app?”

Anne almost choked on her bagel and coffee. She thought about lying, saying that she didn’t realize it was him or that a friend had stolen her phone, but she decided to err on the side of truth.

“I...I thought it would be my last chance to see you again. This final straw that the fates were giving me to grasp.”

Frederick made a grunt of assent at having heard her but didn’t ask anything further.

After a few bites of her half of the bagel (sourdough with garlic herb cream cheese - her favorite), Anne asked, “What made you like me back? I thought after everything that you’d never want to see me again.”

Frederick took a swig of coffee in an obvious attempt to buy time and then said, “To be honest, when I saw that notification I was angry at first but then...then I had to laugh. After everything we’ve been through some algorithm was putting us back together. It seemed like fate.”

He took a few more steps before saying, under his breath, “And I honestly had forgotten how beautiful you were.”

Anne’s eyebrows raised a bit at the comment, she could feel a blush painting her cheeks. Feeling in a mood to be torturous, she said, “I’m sorry - I didn’t quite catch that?”

Frederick shot her a look that said Are you really going to make me do this? and when her face answered back Yes, I am. he sighed. He stopped on the path and turned to face her. 

“I said,” he started, “I had forgotten how beautiful you are.” His hand raised to cup her face and Anne leaned into the touch. Frederick’s eyes looked sad, like he was reliving all those memories from years ago.

Anne reached her hand up to cover his on her face.

“This isn’t going to be like last time, Frederick. This time it will be different. No one is going to come between us. No one.” Her voice became more steeled and determined as she spoke.

“Well, that’s assuming you want there to be an us.” Anne said after a few seconds, trying to look away from him.

Frederick nudged her face back so that she was looking at him, he dropped his coffee on the ground as his other hand came up to her face, caressing the other side. He closed the distance between them and gently brought his lips to hers.

Anne had forgotten how _intoxicating_ kissing him could be. She was lost completely in the moment. At some point her coffee fell from her hand as she snaked her arms around his neck, Frederick’s hands traveling from her face down to her hips. Their lips and bodies moved in sync - he pulling her close, she falling into his arms like she belonged there - as if they hadn’t been separated for seven years.

At some point they broke away, Frederick’s arms still encircling Anne as they caught their breath. 

In between breaths Anne said, a warm smile blooming across her face, “I’ll take that as a yes.”


End file.
